Deforestation in Tesso Nilo, : a Threat to the Gabriela Arévalo, Sebastián Cárdenas, Juan Nicolás Castañeda, Luisa Valeria López, Nathalia Pachón, María Andrea Pedraza

The Tesso Nilo forest, located in the province, , Indonesia, is one of the most biodiverse on the planet. Nevertheless, during the last 20 years the Tesso Nilo has been affected by the constant deforestation carried out in the area, which has threatened numerous animal species that live in this habitat, especially the Sumatran Tiger.

The Role of Sumatran Tigers Cleared Forest Areas in the Tesso Nilo

The Sumatran Tiger (Figure 1) is the smallest surviving subspecies of tiger. It lives in lowland In the last 25 years, areas and in mountains of the tropical forests of approximately 65% of the tropical Sumatra. However, this tiger species is only found forest of Tesso Nilo has been lost in Indonesia, which means that it is an important due to the constant demand for indicator of biodiversity within the tropical forest natural resources. Although part of Tesso Nilo, since it plays a fundamental role in of the forest is currently under the interaction and interdependence between the protection by the Government of multiple species living in this habitat: it is found at Indonesia, there are cases of the top of the food chain in the ecosystem (1). illegal deforestation in the area (Figure 1) Sumatran Tiger (3). The most common form of deforestation that has occurred in recent years is forest fires, as it (Figure 6) Change in the Sumatran Tiger population between 1982 and 2010. Green dots represent the tiger is an economical and efficient population if deforestation stops. Orange dots represent the tiger population if deforestation continues. Causes of Deforestation in Tesso Nilo way to open space within the According to Figure 6, in 2013 there were less than 400 individuals of Sumatran Tigers, forest (figure 4). Even though this which is a loss in population of approximately 70% since 1982. If deforestation of these tropical forest is one of the few forests continues, this species would be extinguished. However, if monitoring for the remaining in Indonesia, according conservation of the Tesso Nilo begins to limit deforestation in the area, the number of to data from NASA's Active Fire individuals of this species would remain constant until 2020. Indeed, the percentage of platform, in July 2015 half of the forests lost annually in Sumatra has a direct effect on the population of Sumatran Tigers, fire alerts came from Riau as shown in Table 1: a study carried out between 2007 and 2009 in central Sumatra province (Figure 5). (which includes the Tesso Nilo Forest) estimated an average forest loss of 1.9% in the area per year, and of 31 grid cells (a forest unit area of 289 km2 where Sumatran tigers are likely to be found), only 21 were recorded with tiger sign.

(Figure 4) Forest cover in Riau between 1982 and 2007.

(Figure 2) Fate of fRoai forest cleared between 2007 and 2012.

In the province of Riau is where the majority of deforestation in Indonesia occurs. Tree felling and forest fires have been carried out for three main reasons: oil palm plantations, wood pulp plantations, and soil exposed for future crops (figure 2). This is shown in figure 3, which shows the industrial plantations in the province of Riau. (Table 1:) Number of Sumatran Tigers registered in different regions of Sumatra in 2008 and 2009.

(Figure 5) Number of forest fires occurred between June and July, 2015 in the Consequences of the Preservation of Sumatran Tigers Tesso Nilo National Park. The conservation and study of the Sumatran Tiger would not only help in the protection of the Tesso Nilo forest, but could also influence in the preservation of poorly Effects on the Sumatran Tiger Population maintained tropical forests in Sumatra. In addition, it would emphasize the importance of the conservation of animals that live in the area, like the Elephant of Sumatra. This is The constant deforestation of the Tesso Nilo has endangered the diversity of plants and how the preservation of this species of tiger would guarantee the survival of its own animal species in Indonesia, such as the and the Sumatran Tiger. In habitat and at the same time the protection of biodiversity found on this national fact, the Tigers of Javi and Bala, who were also originally from this country, became extinct tropical forest.

in the last century by the destruction of their habitat. Additionally, the Sumatran Tiger Bibliography: (1). World Wildlife Fund. “Sumatran Tiger”. Internet: https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/sumatran-tiger, n.d (March 20, 2017). (2). World Wildlife Fund. “Deforestation Threats”. Internet: https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation , s.f (March 14, 2017). population has declined drastically in the last 20 years. This is due to the fact that they (3). Long, Ade. “An area the size of Scotland lost from the world’s most important sites for nature”. Internet: http://www.birdlife.org/worldwide/news/area-size-scotland-lost-world%E2%80%99s-most-important-sites- nature, February 5, 2016 (March 14, 2017). have been forced to migrate to areas where they do not find food and where they are Figure 1. The Nature Foundation. “Protecting the Sumatran Tiger Habitat.” Internet: http://www.tnf.foundation/projects/protecting-the-sumatran-tiger-habitat/, s.f (March 29, 2017). Figure 2. Rhett A. Butler. “Cause of haze? Up to 87% of recent deforestation in fire zone due to palm oil, timber”. Internet: https://news.mongabay.com/2013/06/cause-of-haze-up-to-87-of-recent-deforestation-in-fire- most susceptible to poaching. Furthermore, this species of tiger requires a habitat with zone-due-to-palm-oil-timber/, Junio 26, 2013 (March 29, 2017). Figure 3. Global Forest Watch Fires. Internet: http://fires.globalforestwatch.org/map/#activeLayers=oilPalm%2CrspoOilPalm%2CwoodFiber&activeBasemap=topo&x=102&y=1&z=8 , March 14, 2017 (March 14, 2017). Figure 4. CEPF. "Riau, Sumatra Forest Cover, 1982-2007". Internet: http://www.cepf.net/news/Pages/deforestation_maps.aspx, 2016 (March 14, 2017). vegetation, large and abundant preys, and extensive tracts of land for hunting, Figure 5. Phang, Christina. "Fires in Indonesia Park seen with GFW Fires App". Internet: https://www.blueraster.com/tesso-nilo/ , July 10, 2015 (March 14, 2017). Figure 6. WWF Indonesia Technical Report (2008). "Deforestation, Forest Degradation, Biodiversity Loss and CO2 Emissions in Riau, Sumatra, Indonesia". (On-line). which as said above, has been taken away by logging and forest fires in Riau (2). Internet: http://assets.worldwildlife.org/publications/750/files/original/WWF_Indo_%2827Feb08%29_Riau_Deforestation_-_English.pdf?1426774206&_ga=1.8342322.1482917210.1489901462 , February 27, 2008 (March 29, 2017). (Figure 3) Oil palm concessions and tree felling in Riau. Table 1. Hariyo T. Wibisono. "Population Status of a Cryptic Top Predator: An Island-Wide Assessement of Tigers in Sumatran Rainforests". Internet: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0025931#pone-0025931-g001 , Nov. 2, 2011 (March 14, 2017).